Seniors who give up driving may show health decline

03 Feb Seniors who give up driving may show health decline

Older adults who give up driving may see their mental and physical well-being decline, a new research review finds.

The review of 16 published studies found that seniors tended to show poorer health after they stopped driving — particularly in terms of depression. Researchers said it’s not clear that the health problems are a direct result of giving up the car keys.

But they said it’s likely there is a vicious cycle: worsening health — including vision problems, physical limitations and waning memory and judgment — causes older people to stop driving. That, in turn, can speed their decline.